Beautiful Apollo

Parnassius apollo is the largest of the butterflies that we saw this summer. It has a wingspan that can reach 7-8cm.

   It has a rather large and velvety body. It is spotted mostly in July and August. It’s a species that retreats from heat, be it towards the North or up to a higher altitude. We spotted them at about 1500m in altitude. It’s a protected species due to its shrinking numbers.

   The caterpillars hibernate in their juvenile state in the egg, and then hatch at the beginning of spring (March). They feed on leaves in the open air. At around mid-June, they weave a loose cocoon, slightly buried or located under dry grass. Pupation lasts between 10 days and several weeks. There’s only one generation per year and males are born before the females.

   It flies around in the sun and prefers the nectar of violate flowers (centaurea, thistles, scabiques..). The small black and orangey-red circles are called rosettes, of which the apollo has two pairs.

13/08/2012 La Grande Vache